The best spots to watch the meteor showers this fall

September 30, 2018

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caption: "Mauna Kea, Hawaii - The conditions to see the Orionids meteor shower are not going to be optimal, but Mauna Kea is your best bet if you\u2019re on the Big Island. The 13,803-foot dormant volcano is home to one of the world's largest astronomical observatory which has one of the largest optical telescopes. There is no pollution because of a tropical inversion cloud layer about 2,000 feet thick, well below the summit, which isolates the upper atmosphere. There is a free, public stargazing event held on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings, weather permitting. (Shutterstock)",
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caption: "Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania - The park is one of the darkest spots east of the Mississippi River. In 2008, the 82-acre park was named to the list of Gold-Certified International Dark Sky Parks. There are about 60-85 nights a year with ideal stargazing conditions. You can still see meteor showers and other phenomena during other nights. The park itself is set on a hill, surrounded by state forest, which helps eliminate light pollution. (Shutterstock)",
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caption: "Big Bend National Park, Texas - Big Bend has the least light pollution of any other national park unit in the lower 48 states, according to NPS. This is largely due to the sparse human occupation of this region. You can see about 2,000 stars on a clear night. There are no visible lights indicating a house or even a town. (Shutterstock)",
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caption: "Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado - Leave the lights of Boulder or Denver behind and start climbing. The higher you go, the clearer the views, the darker the experience. The park certainly has high altitudes that are able to deliver all of this. At about 12,000 feet, you\u2019ll feel like you can actually touch the stars. Just bring a jacket or two because the temperature drops to mid-40s. (Shutterstock)",
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caption: "Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah - In 2007, Natural Bridges National Monument became the first International Dark Sky Park certified by the International Dark-Sky Association. Nomination letters describe its view of the Milky Way as with \u201Cintricate detail resembling veined marble.\u201D There is a minimal amount of light posts, all of which feature low-wattage light bulbs in special housing to reduce upward light spill, according to Visit Utah. (Shutterstock)",
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caption: "Blue Ridge Observatory and Star Park, North Carolina - Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, this observatory was the first International Dark Sky Park in the Southeast, offering incredible views of the Milky Way and little light pollution. It was also the first operating under an institution of higher learning \u2013 Maryland Community College. (Shutterstock)",
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caption: "Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico - Almost the entire park, which is naturally dark due to its protected location in the San Juan Basin, is without permanent outdoor lighting. Rangers have inventoried existing night sky conditions to use as a baseline for a continuing monitoring program. Amateur astronomers help monitor levels of light pollution in the region. (Shutterstock)",
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The Orionids, which will peak around October 21, can be visible anywhere on Earth. They can appear all across the sky. The Leonids, which you’ll be able to see around November 17, are also visible around the world, but it may be easier to spot them in the Northern Hemisphere. To be able to see either phenomenon, you need one thing above all – really dark skies. (This story originally appeared on The Active Times.)